Don’t be afraid, but wash your hands
HAVANA – And here we were thinking that the worse that could happen was the reelection of Donald Trump in November. But Murphy’s Law reminded us that when things look bad, they often get worse. Then from Europe, not Asia, along came the coronavirus.
The thing is that this virus bit us where it most hurts, with an epidemic that no doctor has been able to contain, and which ironically can only be prevented by social isolation and… with soap and water. Two products in short supply for the past few months here in Cuba.
Perhaps the ideal situation might be where we all sing along on the virtues of staying home, and while everyone’s chilling we can watch a series on Netflix, or better yet, read, and this way avoid the danger. Less face to face contact on the streets, less touching on the overloaded public transportation system, less going in and out, and therefore less need for hand washing, and therefore less need for soap and water.
The new coronavirus, or that bug, as the Cubans like to say, has put on display empty shelves in pharmacies and supermarkets, and for once, the selfish and irrational hoarding that goes on is not happening. Most of the world is now dealing with no soap or toilet paper. It’s no longer just Cuba.
The truth is that in Havana people just hang around, listen to music sitting at the door facing the street, play dominoes in the corners, stand in lines for bread and chicken, they come and go to work without fear, and the schools are still open, so far. What the authorities have done is canceled shows that attract big crowds, and closed movie houses and theaters. And although work places and educational centers have not been closed, the authorities insist that people refrain from going to work or school if they have any type of respiratory symptoms. In other words, there is awareness of the problem, but there is calm and there is no panic.
One other thing, possibly the most important: we have an abundance of specialized medical and health personnel, with years of training and experience having worked in real-life situations like the cholera epidemic in Haiti and the ebola virus in Africa.
And although there’s no vaccine or specific treatment for the new virus, we do have the recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b, a therapeutic drug with antiviral action, which is produced in this country, whose efficacy has been proven against Hepatitis B and C , Herpes Zoster, HIV-AIDS and Dengue, and is now being widely used with positive results as part of the treatment for the pandemic by the Chinese health system.
Medical authorities on the Island have begun to carry out a series of hearings on health in neighborhoods and workplaces in order to inform and update the population on the symptoms of the disease, preventive measures to control and reduce risks, as well as the steps to follow in cases of suspected possible contagion.
Epidemiological surveillance measures have also been increased in ports, airports and marinas, and emphasis is being placed on primary care, and the active investigation of cases dealing with respiratory symptoms, for their evaluation, isolation when necessary, and the control of places where they may occur.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said: “Fear does not prevent contagion. On the other hand, serenity, discipline, a sense of responsibility, collaboration and solidarity, which is inherent to the Cuban people, can help prevent its spread.”
We must trust that everything needed and can be done has been done well and on time. We must be vigilant, stay informed, go to the doctor if symptoms appear, not ambulate for no good reason, and number one, two, and three: Wash your hands, then wash them again, and again!
